NORTHERN ITALY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25734, 4 January 1945, Page 5

NORTHERN ITALY

RELENTLESS - PRESSURE VITAL FOR HIGH STRATEGY (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent) (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 3. Although the importance of the Italian campaign may possibly be overshadowed by events in the western theatre, relentless and continuous pressure by the Allied armies in Northern Italy is vital for our high strategy. This makes it impossible for the Germans to release one man from that front for operations elsewhere. In fact, in order to maintain their positions the Germans probably had to send reinforcements —men they can ill spare. This comment was made by Brigadier R. S. Park, C.8.E., commanding officer at New Zealand Military Headquarters in .London, who recently returned from Italy, where he attended a conference over which General Freyberg presided. “ The weather and the terrain in Italy are all against fast-moving operations,” said Brigadier Park, “ while the whole of the Po Valley is intersected with watercourses which at this time of the year are liable to overflow, and in any case are tank obstacles. The country north of Faenza is riddled with irrigation canals, as a result of which cross-country work for other than track vehicles Is well-nigh impossible.” ' • ■ Brigadier Park, who watched the division attack Faenza, said the New Zealanders had now become thoroughly acclimatised to Italy, but one big change he noticed since he saw the division in 1941 was the number of new and younger faces owing to the fact that the personnel of the division had changed considerably. He was impressed by the way in which they made themselves as comfortable as possible under trying conditions and the liquid mud of the Po Valley, mentioning particularly the way they could “ brew up ” tea on their Benghazi burners within a matter of two orjffiree minutes. It was very different from the old days, when kindling had carefully to be hoarded in order to stait Brigadier Park flew to Naples from England in a York aircraft in six hours. It was an ordinary transport aircraft, and he was given “a blanket and two or three biscuits” for the trip and invited to make himself comfortable. From Naples he went to Rome ana then to Ancona to join the division. Later he flew to Cairo, via Piraeus. Brigadier Park was greatly impressed by the New Zealand clubs in Florence, Rome, Naples, Ban, and Cairo. “I am satisfied that we provide a welfare service in that respect second to none. It reflects great credit on the people of New Zealand and our servicemen owe a debt of gratitude to them for making such things possible. In Rome and Florence big hotels have been taken over completely. In each there is an orchestra which plays during meal times and in the evenings. It is no uncommon sight to see the lounges absolutely full of men listening to the music.” General H. E. Barrowclough and. Lieutenant-colonel P. Bennett, both of whom attended the conference, are also now in London.